US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA482

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000482 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, AMGT, LO 
SUBJECT: ARSON ATTACK ON NGO COMBATING RACISM 
 
1. SUMMARY. THE OFFICES OF PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM, AN NGO 
THAT MONITORS THE NEO-NAZI MOVEMENT IN SLOVAKIA, SUFFERED AN 
ARSON ATTACK LAST WEEK.  THE INCIDENT WAS MOST LIKELY 
PLANNED TO COINCIDE WITH THE PUBLIC HOLIDAY THAT 
COMMEMORATES THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN SLOVAKIA OR MAY HAVE 
BEEN A SYMBOLIC RETALIATION FOR A SKINHEAD DEATH LAST WEEK. 
SLOVAK POLICE OFFERED SHORT-TERM PROTECTION AND WILL CONNECT 
NEW ALARMS DIRECTLY LINKED TO EMERGENCY SERVICES.  THE 
EMBASSY IS EXPLORING A DONATION OF SURPLUS COMPUTERS OR 
OFFICE FURNITURE TO GET THIS NGO (A FORMER DEMOCRACY 
    COMMISSION GRANTEE) BACK ON ITS FEET.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. ON THE EVENING OF MAY 6, AN ARSONIST SET FIRE TO THE 
OFFICE PREMISES OF PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM, AN NGO THAT 
MONITORS THE NEO-NAZI MOVEMENT IN SLOVAKIA.  AN EMPLOYEE OF 
THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN THE OFFICE, NOTICED THE FIRE, AND 
WAS ABLE TO ALERT AUTHORITIES QUICKLY.  THE GROUP'S 
COMPUTERS, PHOTOCOPIER, AND OTHER OFFICE EQUIPMENT WERE 
DESTROYED, WITH NO INSURANCE.  ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR, 
THE GROUP RECEIVES E-MAIL AND PHONE THREATS FREQUENTLY, BUT 
HAD DOWNPLAYED THE POTENTIAL SECURITY THREAT TO ITS OFFICE 
AND STAFF.  SKINHEADS ALSO PHYSICALLY ATTACKED THREE 
ACTIVISTS LAST WEEK WHILE THEY HUNG POSTERS FOR A PAR EVENT. 
AFTER A STAFF MEMBER CAME TO THEIR AID, THE SKINHEADS FIRED 
UPON THEM FROM FOUR TO FIVE METERS AWAY WHILE LEAVING THE 
SCENE. 
 
3. SKINHEAD VIOLENCE USUALLY COINCIDES WITH SPORTING EVENTS 
OR ANNIVERSARIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST SLOVAK STATE, 
WHICH WAS A NAZI PUPPET REGIME. PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM 
SUGGESTED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS PLANNED NEAR THE PUBLIC 
HOLIDAY THAT COMMEMORATES THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN 
SLOVAKIA.  SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR RACIALLY MOTIVATED CRIME AT 
THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR PAVOL DRAXLIR TOLD POLOFF THAT 
TENSIONS ROSE LAST WEEK AFTER NEO-NAZIS ATTACKED A 54-YEAR 
OLD ISRAELI CITIZEN AT A BUS STATION, WHO DEFENDED HIMSELF 
WITH A KNIFE AND KILLED HIS ATTACKER.  JANA KVIECINSKA, THE 
DIRECTOR OF THE SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE GOVERNMENT 
OFFICE, TOLD POLOFF THAT THESE LATEST CONFRONTATIONS PROVE 
THAT THE WORK OF PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM IS IMPORTANT AND 
WORTHWHILE. 

4. POLICE ESTIMATE THAT SLOVAKIA HAS 500 ACTIVE NEO-NAZI 
MEMBERS AND NEARLY 3000 SYMPATHIZERS. THIS YEAR, POLICE 
DEVOTED MORE RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE, BUT OFFENSES HAVE NOT 
DECREASED AND PROSECUTION REMAINS WEAK.  THE POLICE OFFERED 
PEOPLE AGAINST RACISM SHORT-TERM PROTECTION AND WILL CONNECT 
NEW ALARMS DIRECTLY LINKED TO EMERGENCY SERVICES. IN THE 
FUTURE, THE ORGANIZATION IS LIKELY TO RELOCATE CLOSER TO 
POLICE HEADQUARTERS. 
 
WEISER 
 
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